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Black Friday vs. Black Friday in July: Which Has the Best Deals?

We looked at our historical deals data, so we can suggest what to snap up during Prime Day/Black Friday in July — and what to wait to buy during the holiday season.

Thanks to the success of Amazon Prime Day, plenty of competitors have launched simultaneous mid-July sales to compete, creating what’s become known as “Black Friday in July”.

But how does “Black Friday in July” stack up against actual Black Friday (in November)? And should you try to complete your holiday shopping this July instead of waiting until the real Black Friday (or Cyber Monday)?

We looked at our historical deals data, so we can suggest what to snap up during Prime Day/Black Friday in July -- and what to wait to buy during the holiday season.

4K TVs

Winner: Actual Black Friday

Based on our research, 4K TVs of the same brand in the same size were roughly $100 to $200 cheaper on Black Friday compared to the previous Black Friday in July.

There are two reasons for this. First, TV prices simply fall over time. Prices on newer models will simply be better six months down the road. Second, TVs are a Black Friday staple. People wait in lines for them, leading to those super-low doorbuster prices you simply don’t see during Black Friday in July.

Even so, if you’re in the market for a new TV and don’t want to wait, Black Friday in July and Prime Day are worth checking out. You will find plenty of respectable deals. Pay particular attention to models with built-in Amazon Fire TV capabilities (Element and select Toshiba and Insignia models at Best Buy). Amazon will probably be pushing those during Prime Day, and that means lowered prices.

Clothing

Winner: Actual Black Friday (Cyber Monday, specifically)

Cyber Monday is the best time to shop for clothing. You’ll find site-wide discounts of 20% to 50% off, meaning anything you add to your cart is on sale. The best part is that many retailers roll out their Cyber Monday sales early

Black Friday in July, meanwhile, usually limits discounts to sale or clearance items.

However, Black Friday in July might still be a better fit for you if you want warm-weather clothing. Cyber Monday will mostly be offering cold-weather styles.

Amazon subscriptions/services

Winner: Black Friday in July (Prime Day, specifically)

Prime Day is the best (and, generally, only) time you’ll find services like Amazon Music Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited, Amazon Home Services and AmazonFresh on sale. You’ll also find deals, such as Amazon gift cards in exchange for doing things like making your first Prime Now purchase.

Discounts on these services are practically non-existent during the holiday-shopping season, so jump on good deals you see during Prime Day.

Smart home

Winner: Both

When it comes to smart home tech, you can’t go wrong. Buy during Black Friday in July, or buy during actual Black Friday.

In 2017, for example, the price of Amazon’s first-generation Echo got cut from $179.99 to $89.99. Then, during the holiday season, its second-generation Echo was available for $79 (down from $99.99). Aside from the fact that the holiday-season Echo price was a bit better (and it was a new model to boot), it’s safe to say that you’re going to see deep price cuts on smart home both during Black Friday in July and during actual Black Friday.

Plus, Amazon’s Echo isn’t the only smart-home gadget to be aware of. Google Home demonstrated it was willing to be competitive over the holidays by price-matching the Echo -- and it may do the same for Black Friday in July at the retailers that carry it (Dell, Best Buy and more).

Other smart-home tech (doorbells, thermostats, lights) will also likely drop in price during Black Friday in July -- and again during the holidays.

In short, smart home is hot. It will be hot during Black Friday in July. And it will still be hot during the holidays.

Computers and tablets

Winner: Both

New models of tablets, laptops and PCs appear and replace the old so quickly, it’s hard to compare brand-by-brand pricing for Black Friday in July versus actual Black Friday.

However, what we have seen is a proliferation of great deals on similar machines during both these holidays at Amazon, Newegg, The Microsoft Store, Best Buy, Dell and, of course, Amazon. High-end machines and budget notebooks alike will be about $80 to $300 off their usual prices in July and again in November.

It’s also worth noting that, in 2017, Amazon offered the same Prime Day pricing on Kindles and Fire Tablets during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

So, if you see a great deal during Black Friday in July on a computer or tablet you want, buy it. But you can wait until the holiday season and see deals that are just as good.

Gaming systems

Winner: Actual Black Friday

Gaming systems are popular holiday gifts, so the holiday season is when you see the most competitive pricing. While the newest models likely won’t be on sale (demand is too high), you’ll find excellent deals on previous-gen systems.

For example, during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2017, prices on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One S were about $30 to $50 lower during the holiday shopping season than they were during Prime Day and Black Friday in July.

As for VR, last year’s Prime Day and Black Friday in July deals included the Oculus Rift, PS VR and HTC Vive. The deals on these systems were even stronger during Black Friday, however.

The bottom line

Black Friday in July and actual Black Friday (in November) are both rife with deals. Just be sure you know what you’re looking for, as certain items are worth waiting for until the holidays — and others are best snapped up in July.

Worst-case scenario, you have to major deal-shopping holidays spaced about six months apart. So, if you're looking for a low price on a specific big-ticket item — and you miss out during Black Friday in July — Black Friday (in November) gives you another shot.

Created June 25, 2018, last updated November 15, 2018

About the Author

Kristin is a savings and deals expert at BlackFriday.com. Her background in personal-finance journalism — along with her own enthusiasm for shopping and travel — drive her passion for helping consumers become savvy and informed bargain-hunters.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analysis, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of our partners.
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